Facts

Fall admission profile

After logging into the University of Florida's admissions website over and over Friday night, she got the answer she wanted shortly after 6 p.m.

"Welcome to the Gator family," her parents, both UF grads, told her. "We're proud of you."

The 17-year-old senior at Northeast High School in St. Petersburg joined thousands of her fellow applicants as UF posted its admissions decisions Friday.

"I feel really good," she said breathlessly, minutes after the news.

UF received 28,843 applications for its incoming freshman class. With an enrollment goal of 6,400, the university admitted 12,370 students this year — 9,252 for fall and 3,118 for Summer B.

Innovation Academy, UF's program in which students can only take on-campus classes during spring and summer semesters, admitted 2,114 incoming freshman Friday. Of those, 1,102 were given the choice to join the academy or start during either the fall or summer terms. UF aims to enroll 500 students for the academy.

Gail David, guidance counselor at Newberry High School, said the atmosphere at school on Monday morning will be a mix of joy and anguish.

"We'll get kids who are jubilant, and we'll get kids who are like their friend just died," she said. "You deal with polar opposites."

Ret Thomas, guidance counselor at Buchholz High School for 33 years, said he sees a range of attitudes around campus going into decision day every year.

For some students set on UF, a rejection will lead them to Santa Fe College.

"If you don't get in and you're still going to college, most likely you're going to Santa Fe," he said. "If they bang out good grades, then they will be more competitive as a transfer student than they were coming out of high school."

Early is still waiting for a decision from the University of Notre Dame before making a final call on where she'll go. But she achieved a longtime goal Friday when she got accepted to her parents' alma mater.

<p>Alex Early sat at her computer for almost an hour as she incessantly restarted her web browser hoping for good news.</p><div class="art_item art_item_inset art_item_facts">
<h3>Facts</h3>
<h4>Fall admission profile</h4>
<p>Mid 50% GPA: 4.1-4.5<br>Average GPA: 4.3<br>Mid 50% SAT: 1840-2100<br>Average SAT: 1967<br>Mid 50% ACT: 28-32<br>Average ACT: 30</p>
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<p>After logging into the University of Florida's admissions website over and over Friday night, she got the answer she wanted shortly after 6 p.m.</p><p>"Welcome to the Gator family," her parents, both UF grads, told her. "We're proud of you."</p><p>The 17-year-old senior at Northeast High School in St. Petersburg joined thousands of her fellow applicants as UF posted its admissions decisions Friday.</p><p>"I feel really good," she said breathlessly, minutes after the news.</p><p>UF received 28,843 applications for its incoming freshman class. With an enrollment goal of 6,400, the university admitted 12,370 students this year — 9,252 for fall and 3,118 for Summer B.</p><p>Innovation Academy, UF's program in which students can only take on-campus classes during spring and summer semesters, admitted 2,114 incoming freshman Friday. Of those, 1,102 were given the choice to join the academy or start during either the fall or summer terms. UF aims to enroll 500 students for the academy.</p><p>Gail David, guidance counselor at Newberry High School, said the atmosphere at school on Monday morning will be a mix of joy and anguish.</p><p>"We'll get kids who are jubilant, and we'll get kids who are like their friend just died," she said. "You deal with polar opposites."</p><p>Ret Thomas, guidance counselor at Buchholz High School for 33 years, said he sees a range of attitudes around campus going into decision day every year.</p><p>Highly qualified, slam-dunk students agonize. Brazen hopefuls with low chances of getting in hold their heads high.</p><p>"And all shades of gray in between," he said.</p><p>For some students set on UF, a rejection will lead them to Santa Fe College.</p><p>"If you don't get in and you're still going to college, most likely you're going to Santa Fe," he said. "If they bang out good grades, then they will be more competitive as a transfer student than they were coming out of high school."</p><p>Early is still waiting for a decision from the University of Notre Dame before making a final call on where she'll go. But she achieved a longtime goal Friday when she got accepted to her parents' alma mater.</p><p>"I decided I was going to apply to UF when I was like 4," she said.</p><p><i>Contact Joey Flechas at 338-3166 or joey.flechas@gvillesun.com.</i></p>